Time for Action

On Sunday 25th August, Time for Action, a British response to the Kairos Palestine document will be launched at the Greenbelt Arts Festival, in Cheltenham.

Time for Action is a call to British Christians to be involved in furthering a just peace for Palestinians and Israelis. It explains why British Christians have a particular responsibility toward the situation in Israel and Palestine and why there is an urgent need for them to be involved in supporting the call of the Palestinian church for international action.

It has been put together by British Christians from a wide variety of traditions whose experience of visiting Israel and Palestine has compelled them to respond to the challenge made by Palestinians Christians in the Kairos Palestine document.

The Kairos Palestine document describes itself as: "A cry of hope in the absence of all hope." It builds upon previous kairos documents such as Kairos South Africa, 1985, and calls for confession, repentance and the rejection of violence. It challenges Christians around the world to hear their cry and recognize that now is a crucial (kairos) moment to act: "Are you able to help us get our freedom back? This is the only way you can help the two peoples attain justice, peace and security."

Time for Action is a part of a British response to that challenge.

Background Information

In December 2009, leading Palestinian Christians launched a document called A Moment of Truth; A word of faith, hope and love from the heart of Palestinian suffering. This became known as the Kairos Palestine document. Kairos is a Greek word that means 'a critical moment in time'.

Time for Action presents a history of British involvement and demonstrates why Britain has a particular responsibility for the current situation. It then unpacks the interfaith dimensions before looking at the theological imperative for British Christians to engage with the issue. Time for Action then moves on to expose some of the daily humiliation and injustice experienced by Palestinians, before concluding with a Call for Action.

Time for Action was read through by Jewish and Muslim readers prior to completion and has been signed by 33 people who were involved in creating this response.